


A-musing

by chrissascorner



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-07-17
Packaged: 2018-02-08 11:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1938600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrissascorner/pseuds/chrissascorner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the Frozen story arc. Regina needs Emma's help to find Robin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A-musing

(weeping sounds)

Every morning this week, Regina has woke to the sound of weeping. It should be her, but it’s not. She’s tired of hearing it. No one deserves to cry more than herself. If only she could figure out who it is, or where they are, or why she hears it. Is it just a reminder of her eternal misery? Is it a hallucination?

The truth is, it’s not even losing Robin that broke her heart, while that was hard enough, it will be ok someday. Fairy Magic never lies, and that gives comfort to Regina. After all, what would she have done had it been Daniel that was brought back? No, Robin just needs to sort it out, and she agrees that he needs to take a little time. What really hurt, is that just when she finally thinks that damn family is going to be her family forever, and things were finally starting to come together, BAM, no siree. Damn Emma for being her mother’s daughter. Damn Snow for always getting what she wants. Damn Charming for telling her that True Love is something you have to fight for. Having Robin was so perfect, but his feelings had never been tested. Thank you Swan, for the test. Or not. Oh, Robin.

At least one good thing came of Hook and Swan’s jaunt into the past. Something there convinced Emma to stay in Storybrooke, and Henry asked to stay with her every other week. Henry is the only thing that kept her from obliterating the Charmings that night. Henry makes being good worth it. Speaking of Henry, better get him up and off to school.

“Henry, are you up?”

“Yeah, I am," Henry said opening his door. “Mom, can we talk?”

“Of course, my prince, what is it?” The look of worry on Henry’s face was making Regina slightly edgy.

“Well, it’s just… You know that I love you, right? Because if you are having a hard time with the whole ‘Robin thing’, I can stay here more often. I am worried about you.”

Regina paled. “Henry, I would love for you to just stay with me, but I know you love Emma too, and I want you to be happy and be where you want to be. And, just so you know, I really am ok with the ‘Robin thing’, as you so eloquently put it. I believe in Fairy Magic and Tinkerbell showed me long, long ago that Robin is my destiny, so it will work out when the time is right. So if you want to stay, you are welcome to stay, but you need to work it out with Emma and please don’t worry about me. And, don’t stay because of a sense of duty to me, or pity. Promise?”

Henry gave her this look that said he wasn’t buying it. “Yeah, ok, but if you are fine with it, why do I keep hearing you cry in the morning?” He crossed his arms on his chest, as if challenging her.

“You hear that, too? I was beginning to think I was losing my mind! I’m so relieved. I swear, my prince, I swear it’s not me.”

Regina’s tension at the incessant crying was almost completely gone at hearing Henry confess he also hears it, and the relief was evident on her face. However, this just confused Henry. He had been quite certain it was his mom bawling every morning, missing the man she loved. The look on Henry’s face just made Regina chuckle.

“Hurry down, I’m going to make your breakfast," she told him and then walked off.

Now that he thinks about it, his mom didn’t have any telltale signs of crying. No puffy, red, dripping nose, nor the bloodshot eyes, not even tear streaks on her face. Then again, she could always just magic those away, couldn’t she? Maybe she really is happy enough, he thought. He put the thoughts out of his mind, and finished getting ready and headed down to breakfast.

* * *

 

At the office, Regina decided she needed to deal with what this is, because it was driving her crazy. Unfortunately, that means she has to deal with them. For five days she had been able to avoid them, but, since she is the Mayor, she knew the time would come eventually. Might as well get it over with so she can hopefully get some peace and quiet.

She dialed the station. “Swan, listen, I need you or your father to come see me in my office right away," Regina said and as an after thought she added, “Please.”

“Sure, Regina, is everything alright?”

“Fine, I think. I will explain when you get here.”

“Be right over then.”

About 15 minutes later, Swan and Charming walked into her office. Regina just rolled her eyes. She asked for one, and she gets both. The price of being a villain, she figures. Albeit a villain turning over a new leaf, a villain nonetheless.

“Thanks for rushing," Regina grumbled.

“So what is it, what’s happened," Charming asked.

“Well, has anything out of the ordinary been reported lately?”

The Charmings side-eyed each other in confusion at the question, and Emma replied “Uh, no… not unless you count one of the dwarves getting run into by a pony ‘out of the ordinary’. Why?”

“I would actually, but no matter. At first I wasn’t sure what I was hearing was real, so I just sort of ignored it. Then this morning, Henry told me he had been hearing it too, so I know now that it’s real.”

“What are you hearing, Regina," Charming said.

This is why she doesn’t like dealing with both of them. They tag team her. Is it too much to ask for a single person so she could have a single conversation. Apparently.

“Crying. Every morning when I wake up, I hear someone crying. Some days it’s bawling, and some days it’s more of a sniveling, but someone, somewhere is crying. I have searched my house, inside and out, and I never see anyone or any evidence of anyone, and yet, just like clockwork morning comes and that mewling comes along with it.”

Again the Charmings and their looks toward each other, like they can speak without speaking. It’s so annoying. What’s a girl gotta do to get the respect they owe their queen around here, Regina thought. Life was just so much simpler when she demanded respect from everyone, and killed them if they didn’t give it to her.

“If nothing’s happened in town that’s worth reporting, then perhaps you brought more than Marian, more than Elsa even, back from the past," Regina said hoping to make Emma feel just a bit more guilt. She knew it was petty, but sometimes a little jab just feels good. Seeing the look cross Swan’s face made it worth it.

“So you hear someone crying, every morning, at your house. It’s not you, and it’s not Henry. What are we supposed to do," Swan asked.

“Ms Swan, people cry over all sorts of things, but people cry daily because of only one thing. Broken hearts. Love and loss. Someone is crying, every morning, and I need to know who it is, why they are doing it, or actually, I just need to know how to get them away from my house while they do it. I am tired of listening to it. I want you to do your job and find them.”

“Regina...” Emma began.

“Save it," Regina said throwing up her hand.

“Regina, do you know if it’s inside or outside that you hear it," Charming jumps in to distract the escalating tensions in the room. “Is it male or female, is it familiar at all?”

Regina shifted her gaze to him, determined to only call him next time. She didn’t care who was so-called-sheriff. “I can’t figure it out, whether it is inside or outside, it appears female to me, and no it isn’t at all familiar.”

“Alright, we will start looking around and asking questions.” Then he turned to his daughter, “Let’s go, Emma.”

* * *

 

Emma and Charming headed right over to Regina’s place, to have a look around.

“She probably turned someone into a bush, and forgot about them," Emma quipped.

“Be nice, Emma," her dad piped up, but he chuckled anyway and doesn’t necessarily disagree with what she said.

Emma smirks at her father, but keeps walking slowly around the house. She hears nothing, sees nothing unexpected, and thinks it’s a just a big waste of time.

That is until she hears a tiny sigh, and her dad is more than a dozen feet away from her. It was almost as if the column itself on the front porch sighed from the weight of the world on top of it. She stares at the column, trying to reconcile her brain to the thoughts that sprang unbidden into existence. Columns don’t sigh, don’t cry, don’t do anything but exist where a human placed them. This column was no different from the others, all standing sentinel around the porch. Pointedly looking at each one, but seeing just a column, or four columns actually, and hearing nothing else, Emma believes she may not have heard a sigh after all.

“Why are you staring at the porch like that," Charming asked her.

Apparently she hadn’t been paying attention to his approach, because she jumped at the sound of his voice. Putting a hand on her chest over the area of her heart trying in vain to get it to slow back down, Emma replied, “I know it sounds crazy, but I almost thought for a minute that I heard a sigh from the column itself. Obviously, it’s crazy, but there are times I swear Storybrooke is Crazy-Town. So of course why shouldn’t the column get tired of holding up the balcony, am I right? Dad, tell me the column can’t sigh. Tell me strange things aren’t bound to happen every single day around here. Convince me, that we can have a quiet normal life.”

“Uh, sure. All of that. But first, what exactly did you hear?”

“A sigh. You know… inhale, exhale audibly. Like you are tired, like you are so very sad, like there is no hope. A sigh, but it was quiet, or small. And I’m trying to convince myself I didn’t hear it, it must have been something else, but I did hear it. I know I did. Someone, or something, is here with us right now on this porch.”

“It’s no good, Thalia, no one ever looks down. Might as well give up.”

Emma stared blankly at her father, matching his vacant stare back at his daughter. A full minute passes before Charming finally spoke.

“Are you staring at me because you heard that, too, or because I have egg on my face left over from breakfast?”

“So I’m not insane then. You heard that. What was it?”

“It was a voice. Someone spoke. Something about giving up. I didn’t catch it all.”

“Me either. I heard snow’s good, and tall, or coming down, but it’s not snowing, not since Elsa got a handle on her magic. I’m so confused.”

“Snow? Maybe it has to do with your mother? I think I will call to check on her.” As he whipped out his phone he took a few steps away from the porch, and Emma looked back at the column willing herself to find something there this time.

All of the columns were identical in every way. She put her hand on one of them and walked a complete circle around it. Nothing. She does it to the next one and also finds nothing. The third one, seems the same story, except this one has a small marking just above the base. Like an artist signature. She gets down on her hands and knees to really look at it, and it appears to be an engraved image of a very small, very round woman with her hair in a fountain shape on top of her head.

“What a very strange carving on this post. Dad, Come have a look.”

Charming hung up with Snow, and dropped down next to Emma. “Oh cute, must be the carver’s mark, you think?”

“I could be wrong, but I swear it keeps moving.”

And then of course, it did move. And spoke. “Well of course I’m moving! I been trying to talk to you since you walked up here! I need help! My sisters have all gone missing! I’m in a strange place, and I don’t know what to do!” She began to cry in earnest, making anything she was saying utterly indistinguishable from her sobs.

Emma and Charming just looked at each other, dumbfounded. Neither one knowing what could even be said about this new revelation, nor having the desire to say anything that did come to mind.

“Sorry," the figure choked out, and she sobbed a few more times. “It’s just that, I’ve never been without my sisters before, and I’m so afraid, and for a week I have been trying to get someone to hear me, but no one ever did.”

“So, do you have a name?” Emma asked.

“Yes, I’m Thalia.”

“Nice to meet you Thalia, I’m Emma, and this is my dad. Some call him David, but most call him Charming. Where did you come from?”

“I can see why they call him Charming," Thalia giggled. “I came from Rome. My sisters and I all live in the columns of the Ancient buildings there.”

“Wait, you are one of the five muses?” Charming finally was able to speak again.

“That’s right, you have been to Rome before?”

“Not exactly. My grandson recently introduced us to something called Netflix, and we watched ‘Hercules’ just a week ago.”

Thalia looked at him like he was transforming into Titan before her eyes.

“Nevermind, what can we do? Only a couple of us in this town can even leave it," said Charming.

“Wait, there’s magic in Rome” Emma asked.

“Magic? What is magic," Thalia was beginning to fall apart again. Was anyone going to be able to help her? This place was so confusing.

“There was a Rome back in Fairytale Land,” Charming remembered. “It was very far from our kingdom, and I have never seen it, but one of the warriors that fought with my brother shortly before his death had spoke of a Rome, with creatures half horse-half man, and half goat-half man, and a dog with 3 heads. I never believed it, but now… well, can we possibly doubt anything anymore?”

Emma just sat back onto her rump, not even sure what to say. Would the oddities of the world she was born to never cease to shock her? Dropping her head into her hands she began to moan.

“I can’t take this anymore. Should we call Regina?”

Charming dialed Regina, “I think you should come over to your house, we kind of found something that we aren’t even sure what to do about.”

* * *

 

Regina could see Swan sitting on her porch with her head in her hands and her hands resting on her knees that were pulled up to her chest. Seeing Swan like that actually frightened Regina. Not much could bring ‘The Savior’ to the breaking point.

“Well, what is it?” Regina never was one to waste time on pleasantries.

“It’s a person, stuck to one of the pillars holding up your balcony. Look here," Charming somehow managed to keep a level head while Emma on the other hand was truly in denial.

“What? How the hell did someone get stuck to a pillar?” Regina dropped down to see the woman in the column, and then had to catch herself from saying a few derogatory things about the woman.

“I need to find my sisters! Can you help? Wait, where are we anyway?” The figure in the column screamed. Not out of malice or anger, just because she had to scream to be heard.

“Swan, gimme a hand here. I want to try to get it off of there.”

“It? Nevermind, ok, how do we do this?” Emma wasn’t sure what Regina was thinking, but she was fairly sure that if Regina needed her help it wasn’t going to be pretty.

“We are going to remove her from the column and give her a flesh and blood body. Can you handle it?”

Thalia didn’t miss how this new person, Regina, emphasized the word ‘her’ like it left a muddy taste in her mouth. She was fairly certain she and her sisters weren’t going to like this Regina. She just had to keep hoping that they would find a way to get her sisters here, before it’s too late.

Emma and Regina worked together with their magic to try to get Thalia off the column and into a fleshly body, but all they succeeded in doing was making her bigger. At least now it was easier to talk to her. Regina wasn’t happy though, sure that she was going to have to continue to endure the ceaseless crying of this woman. If you can call an engraving a woman.

“Well if I have to stay on this column forever, I hope you can put another one here because I have four sisters, and there is only three more columns” the muse said in disgust.

“You will be lucky if I leave the one you are on here, Muse," Regina snarled.

“Ok, Henry is coming. I think we need to introduce him” Emma said trying to diffuse the air.

“Mom, mom, what are you guys up to," Henry asked looking a little nervous to see them together.

“Mom, mom? Does the boy have a stutter," Thalia asked.

“Oh, that is totally awesome! Where did you come from," Henry asked. The excitement in his voice was evident. He loved this magical stuff.

“No, my son doesn’t stutter, he just was speaking to both of us," Regina huffed.

“The boy has two mothers? How is this possible, what strange world am I even in?”

Emma jumped in before Regina lost control of her temper. “No, I had Henry when I was a teenager and I didn’t think I could take care of him. Regina adopted him and when he was 10 years old he found me and ever since we have been sharing custody of him. Yeah, it gets a little complicated around here.”

“Wonderful.”

“So, I’m Henry, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Henry. I am Thalia, Muse of Comedy," she said while bowing to him.

“Mom, I know you don’t really want to talk about this, but I have to tell you something.”

Regina steeled herself, knowing this probably had to do with Roland again. Every day that he was with her for the entire month so far he came home from school and told her about Roland. “What is it this time, my prince?”

“Roland wasn’t in school again today, so I asked Little John about it while he was planting the flower beds at the school today, and he said Marian won’t let him go to school anymore because she’s going to teach him at home.”

“Well, there isn’t a lot I can do about that is there?”

“You are the mayor aren’t you? Can’t you force kids to go to school?”

“I could, Henry, but too many people already hate me and I want to stop all the resentment around me. If Marian wants to keep Roland at home, she can, for now.”

“Fine, then can we go over to the park for a bit before dinner?”

Regina was very suspicious of this request, but was never good at denying Henry what he asked for. “Alright, I suppose. We weren’t having any luck with the Muse anyway, so maybe a break will help," she reluctantly agreed.

“I’m going to head over to Rumplestiltskin’s and see if he has any ideas for us then. I’ll let you know what he says," Emma said, and after giving Henry a hug and a kiss on the top of his head, she wasted no time getting out of there.

* * *

 

Once they arrived at the park, Regina felt a child hit her from behind and latch onto her leg in a vise-like grip. She started to get angry, but then she heard him say her name, and instantly melted.

“Ms Gina! I missed you! Can we play? Have you seen my papa? Don’t eat ice cream without me anymore!” Roland was speaking so fast she could barely keep up with the words as they tumbled from him.

“ROLAND! Get over here now! Get away from her!” Marian was rushing over and fury was stamped all over her face. “How dare you try to kidnap my son, you Evil Witch!”

“Listen, Marian, I am not kidnapping anyone. Roland came up to me.” Regina was so close to turning Marian into a beetle that she picked up Roland to keep him as a buffer to her old ways. Roland instantly wrapped her in a tight hug and began to whimper.

Marian grabbed for Roland and tried to pry him loose from Regina, but Roland began to scream. “Why are you even here, Evil Witch? You are only trying to interfere with my life some more!”

“I brought my son here! I built this park for him a couple years ago! I have every right to be here. Stop grabbing at him before you hurt him! Just give me a second, you sniveling badger!” At that, Regina enveloped Roland in her arms and began to speak soothingly to him, telling him it will be alright, and that his papa was around and she would find him and bring him back, and that now it was time for him to go with mama. Roland pulled back from Regina’s neck and planted a kiss on her cheek.

“Bye Ms Gina. You will really get papa for me?” The last part was said with so much worry for a barely five year old that it almost tore her heart out on it’s own.

“Of course, little one. I will try my hardest to find him for you. Go to mama now, ok.” Regina put him down, and he lingered his hand in hers for a few more seconds before finally sulking over to his mother.

“Stay away from my son, and don’t go looking for my husband either. He’s mine, you got that," Marian snarled at Regina.

Regina just gave her a hard look in return, full well knowing she had every intention of trying to find Robin. If only for Roland’s sake. It’s not the boys fault that this mess is happening. Plus, if she was really listening to her heart, she would know that Robin would never leave Roland behind and ignore him. Roland is the most important thing to Robin. Above Marian, even above Regina. Swan has the ability to use mirrors to find people, and if nothing else Swan owes her a little something.

Turning away from Marian’s retreating back, Regina saw Henry just sitting on a bench a short distance away, thinking he was about to get into big trouble. She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips at him, a gesture that said ‘Let’s go, now’. She spun back and walked toward the car, Henry had to jog to catch up.

Charming had called Emma to let her know about Marian just after they arrived at the Mayors Mansion. Since they didn’t know exactly what they were looking for, it took them a bit of searching to locate the portal device.

Emma was sure she needed to ask the plan, but equally sure she didn't want the answer. "Lay it on me, Mr Gold. What do we have to do?" She blurted it out before having a chance to reconsider.

"The obvious answer appears to be that we have to find someone to exchange to get Mr Hood back. But who would go, and how to get the other Muses may be a tad more difficult."

"Someone has to go there to get Robin back? What a mess!"

"I assume she was brought over here in exchange for him," Gold indicated Thalia, "but I think if he were holding the stone piece that the others are inhabiting at the moment of exchange, then we only have to send one life to receive the five."

"Still, we have to send someone to a deserted land, alone and possibly against their will for this. It just doesn't feel right."

"Emma, I know. I don't much like it either, but what choice have we? We still need to get Marian out of here, too, or things will soon be coming apart faster than Dr Whale can sew them back together."

"You can't ask me to send a woman to her death! I can't do it, especially after I created this disaster by saving her life in the first place!"

"Actually, I think you don't have to make the choice. If she's fallen ill, it may just be the distortion working itself out."

"Oh god, I can't take this anymore. I feel horrible. Every tiny little crisis for the past couple of months is probably all my fault!"

"Now that's probably a bit extreme, there are bound to be accidents and injuries regardless. I think the situation might have made incidents a bit more frequent, but certainly not all of them were because of you."

Thalia had been very quiet, until now. "Emma, I have only known you a full day and I think you are very kind. I doubt you would do anything that would intentionally hurt anyone. You don't even know me and yet you are trying desperately to help me get my sisters. I think, by the look of you, that you didn't even sleep last night. How can you think you are to blame for anyone elses problems?"

"Oh, maybe that's why I am emotional. I must just be tired."

"Might I inquire to what this exchange business is," Thalia continued.

"We figured you were brought here when our archery teacher was taken there. Creating an exchange of sorts," answered Gold.

"No, that man in the reflection, he was there in Rome for two days before I woke up here," she said.

"That changes things." Gold looked a little less stressed at her information, but just a little.

"What does it mean," Emma asked.

"It means we may not have to send someone permanently through. Possibly, someone can go, get Mr Hood and the ladies, and they can all come back together."

"Someone still has to go there, though. Why?"

"The portal activates from this side first. Then the other will activate the return, only I'm not sure if it is a time delay or a proximity activation." He directed his next question at Thalia, "Do you know?"

"No sir. I don't even know what any of that means. My sister, Clio, dealt with all that. I am just one big joke," she sighed and slumped over in a very defeated posture. “I also have to tell you about something else. There’s a bad guy over there. That is why we were trying to get out of there. He’s a fire breathing giant named Cacus. When he sees us, he breathes fire at the stone that we are on so that we can’t stay on it anymore. There isn’t much left for us to be on, and we are always having to hide. I am so scared for them, and for your friend too.”

“Thalia, why are you just telling us this now? I trusted you, I believed in you! What the hell?” Emma didn’t like being taken advantage of, and still tended to get very defensive when she felt wronged.

“I’m sorry, I am so sorry! You have to understand! I didn’t know anything! I was afraid, and I didn’t know what to do. Please, Emma, please forgive me!”

Rumplestiltskin decided to try to calm things by saying, “It’s ok. At least she told us now so we can prepare. You should have told us sooner, but again at least it wasn’t too late when you finally did. Hush now, and tell me about this Cacus.”

Thalia told him everything about him that she knew. She seemed very scared of him, but Gold didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. As long as one of the strongest magic users in Storybrooke went to retrieve Robin, it would be easy enough to deal with the giant, fire breath or no fire breath.

And they were all pretty sure they knew who would be going. That is to say, the one coming up the front walk at this very moment.

* * *

 

"Well, here comes Regina, and Dad."

Wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, Rumplestiltskin immediately said to Regina, "We have business to discuss. I know what we have to do to get him, but we need a volunteer, and it’s going to be very dangerous. The situation is dire." Rumple was starting to show his exhaustion, as well now.

Regina just watched him, not completely comprehending what he was talking about.

It was Emma who eventually spoke up. “Someone has to go through the portal to that place, and get the information from one of the other Muses, Clio, on how to return. Then armed with that information, they must find Robin, have the Muses on a piece of stone small enough to hold and all four of them together on the stone, and come back through at the right time, and all at the same time. All the while also avoiding a big, blue horse-man that has a bad temper and likes to crush up rocks. It’s the only way.”

“I’m going," Regina said. Everyone knew she would. What they didn’t expect was what she said next. “Emma, I want you to keep the mirror viewing open. Just in case I need to communicate. If you need to sleep first, best do it now so I can get this done by this evening.”

“No, I’m fine, let’s get this done.” Emma went to retrieve the large mirror that they used last time.

Regina figured she had better take some provisions. She packed a small shoulder bag with a few bottles of water, some finger foods, and some weapons. Yes, she has magic, but Robin doesn’t, and since she might be fighting once she gets there, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Charming and Emma had moved a full length mirror onto the porch, not just for the benefit of Thalia, it seems word started to spread about the Muse and the situation as a whole. A crowd of people have started gathering on the sidewalk in front of Regina’s house. A buzz of whispering was coming out of the crowd, but when Regina came out of the house in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt with a backpack tossed over her shoulder, the crowd went deadly silent.

“What’s all this," Regina asked.

“Some wanted to see Thalia, but I think someone let slip that something bad happened to Robin," Emma answered.

“Alright then," turning to Rumplestiltskin, she continued, “Tell me what to do Gold.”

“Just stand there, and press down with your foot on the portal. Once you make it to the other side, you must find the other muses. This one says Clio set up the portal, so likely she is the one to talk to. You need to know how to return, before worrying about Mr Hood. I know you want to get to him, but you must know how to get back to us or it will all be for nothing. Once you get the information from the Muses, you must find the gentleman, and be ready to make the trip back. We don’t know if it is time sensitive, or if it is like this one where you press the switch. Have the other Muses gather on a single slab of stone so you can also bring them back. Understand?”

“Yeah, I got it," then to Emma, she said, “Bring it up. I need to know where he is and where they are.” She waved her hand at the column with Thalia on it as she said the last part.

Emma closed her eyes, and focused all her energy on Robin Hood. The mirror started to shimmer, and then the ruins of Rome came into view. When Emma opened her eyes, she didn’t understand why Robin wasn’t there. It was just a collapsed building.

Then they did see him. He was lying prone, covered in dust. They weren’t able to tell right away if he was dead, or sleeping, but after a minute he coughed. Which didn’t exactly ease their minds, but at least they knew he was alive.

“I have to go now. I have to get to him.” Regina was coming apart. She started to make the move toward the portal, but Emma stopped her briefly.

“Let me find the Muses, that will make it easier to get to them and then on to Robin.” Emma closed her eyes again, and the mirror shimmered and then revealed the same scene they had been looking at before. “What the hell…?”

Thalia spoke up quickly, “No look! They are there, on that wall behind him. Oh, my sisters! They are going to be ok!”

“Well that makes it easier, but Swan, if I don’t make it back…”

“No, don’t start that kind of talk, Regina.”

“Just take good care of Henry, and make sure he knows I love him more than anything.”

“Fine. Go. Let’s get this over with.”

Regina stepped on the portal and was gone.

* * *

 

Immediately, the crowd started coming a few at a time, up the walk to marvel at the lady on the column, and the image in the mirror. Of course, they could still see Robin and the Muses, but Regina didn’t come into view at all. They didn’t know if there would be a delay in her arrival, or if she just showed up somewhere else. Emma decided to give it a few minutes, and then she would try to find Regina.

By now, practically everyone was at Regina’s house. That’s the thing about this town. When things start happening, everyone comes together. Either to witness it, or help. Since not much help was needed, it was quickly turning into a zoo in the front yard.

Feeling that it would be rude to just scream and send everyone on their way, Emma decided to erect some seats for everyone. Rows and rows of seats were conjured up. People were taking turns in sitting, and standing. Granny and Red brought over tons of sandwiches and snack things. Belle showed up, with quite a few teenagers all toting soda and juice. It’s like a regular summer bar-b-que. Except it’s not really summer, and it’s starting to get chilly.

Emma wasn’t sure where to find Regina, but she was concentrating as hard as she possibly could, and nothing was happening. Charming’s phone rang unexpectedly, causing her to lose her focus. “Really, Dad?” She gave him her usual eyeroll, and then looked back at the mirror. Only this time, while Robin was still there on the ground, the Muses were gone.

That familiar insecurity was starting to creep back in on Emma. She wanted to bolt from the area. Maybe I’m just not good enough. This is all my fault anyway. I hope no one hates me because of it, she thought.

While she was watching the mirror, trying to think what to do next, one of the Muses returned. She was waving around and apparently speaking. Robin sat up, and Emma saw he was hurt. It didn’t look bad, but there was definitely some blood on his clothes. He was awake and alert, which was a very good omen. He stood, and limped off after the Muse.

Emma again concentrated all her might on Regina. This time the mirror changed to reveal Regina, and three of the Muses talking animatedly. As the fourth enters the scene, Regina looks up and sees Robin. She almost pounces on him, and as they embrace a collective “awww” rises from the crowds around the Mayor’s Mansion. Emma had almost forgotten everyone was still there.

Regina tends to Robin’s wounds, and gives him some of the food and water she took with her. Then she stood, obviously knowing Emma would be watching, she blew some dust from her hands. On the ground in front of her, a message appeared. “Can’t return for at least a day.”

People started clearing off soon after the message from Regina, including Rumplestiltskin. Emma figured she had to keep the mirror on though, because she would never forgive herself if something happened to Regina now. She sat on the porch and leaned back against the pillar where Thalia was, fully intent on spending another sleepless night. Between her father, her partner, and her son, she’d had enough coffee to survive the apocalypse unscathed. Eventually, the caffeine high would wear off though, and sleep was not something anyone could avoid forever.

Killian had shown up not long ago, with Henry and Roland in tow. Roland was sitting in front of the mirror calling for his dad, and not clearly understanding why he wasn’t being heard. So he just sat there, watching his dad and Ms Gina.

Charming sat down beside Emma, also leaning back against the pillar. Emma let her head fall onto his shoulder and they just sat in comfortable silence for a time. All too soon, though, Henry approached them and handed them some sandwiches from the hoard that Granny had left behind.

Henry and Killian were cleaning up a bit, putting trash in the bins and the leftover food into the refrigerator. After one such trip into the house, Roland noticed Emma and Charming just a few feet away, lounging in comfortable silence. He decided that must be the place to be, because he crawled over and sat between them and laid his head on Emma’s lap, promptly falling asleep.

Shortly after, Killian came and sat on Emma’s other side. Also leaning back against the pillar. Emma took his hand, and interlaced her fingers with his. She had mostly been watching the mirror, and twice had to relocate the view because they were finding a safe place to hide until the following day.

It was much later in the evening in Rome, than it was at home in Storybrooke. Still, Emma was very drowsy and began to drift in and out of sleep. Henry had come to sit between the legs of his mom and Killian, leaning against the once-pirate so as not to disturb the ones sleeping.

* * *

 

Robin was so elated to finally have someone find him, and the hope of returning home. The fact that it was Regina was just the icing on his cake. Without her, he felt incomplete, like a large part of his spirit was ripped from his body. Much like the way the shadow ripped the shadow out of others. She had left a mark on his heart that would not erase. He loved Marian, but even though she hadn’t died after all, he had buried her years ago. His heart had mended, and was completely consumed by Regina. It wouldn’t be fair to Marian to stay with her and know he loved someone else. It was a very difficult decision, but only when he was honest with himself could he be honest with them. No matter what he decided, someone was going to get hurt, and either way he was going to be hurt.

He had been going, that day, to talk to her. To tell her he couldn’t live without her. So he went to her, to Regina, and he stood on the porch as the minutes ticked by. What would he even say to her? He was overwhelmed with his love and desire for Regina, but also his regret for Marian. He leaned against that column on her porch. The pain in his heart was too much. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. He turned, to walk away, and that’s when it happened. It was as if his insides had turned wrong-side out, and he was squeezed through a tube. When he opened his eyes, all around him was dust and ruins.

He stomped around the place yelling and making a ruckus, but the place was deserted. At least, that’s what he thought since no one answered his calls. After a couple days, he heard some females speaking, but he couldn’t find a single person anywhere. He happened to be leaning against a fallen column of stone, when he finally noticed the ladies were actually carved in it. Not only could they speak to him, they also could move around. Apparently, when they noticed him wandering around lost, they realized the portal they had sent so many years ago, had finally been activated. Thalia was sent to watch over the portal, to make sure nothing went back through, until they could get his attention, and have him take them along back to where he came from. Thalia apparently fell asleep, and the stone she was inhabiting had fallen onto the portal sending her back, and leaving Robin stranded in their ruined place.

Originally, they intended someone to fix their home, and repopulate the place. That was no longer an option. The only choice was to flee, and even that had been taken from them when Thalia went through the portal without the rest of them. Robin had done the best he could with no provisions. He couldn’t find much to eat or drink, but with the help of the Muses, he survived.

He had been in Rome maybe 4 nights, when a fire-spewing giant-thing came stomping through. Cacus is what they called him. Robin was unfortunate enough to be in his way as he tromped passed, and Cacus just used his fist and punched Robin in the chest hard enough to send him back at least 10 feet. Then he breathed his fire-breath and a roof collapsed right over Robin’s body. It was just dumb-luck that he was between two columns that held and therefore he wasn’t completely crushed by the falling roof.

He didn’t escape totally without injury, though. It wasn’t life threatening, but it still hurt when that shard of glass nicked his ribs. And it bled quite a bit, too.

You can only imagine how it felt when one of the muses, Calliope, woke him and told him someone had come through the portal looking for him. A woman, with striking beauty, and silky black hair, was all it took for him to know. She had come for him. His love had finally found him.

When he saw her, truly there in front of him, he ran to her and grabbed her into a hug. “I’m so happy you found me, you came for me," he said to her.

She only managed to choke out, “Robin!”

She healed him, and fed him. He told her of the giant, and their need to leave as soon as possible. Clio said they had to wait until the next day before they could return. They went to the safest place they knew to hunker down and wait. Tomorrow this whole nightmare would be over. So they sat, her leaning on his chest and him with his arms around her.

He told her everything he had wanted to say that fateful morning. It didn’t matter how stupid it sounded anymore. He had to take the opportunity now, before he lost it again. She told him, her heart would never be anywhere but in his hands again. Their love would get them through this. They had each other, and that is all that matters.

They fell asleep wrapped around each other, with the four ladies humming a tune behind them.

* * *

 

Dr Whale called Blue around midnight to ask if there’s anything that can be done to help Marian. She shouldn’t be this sick over a few spider bites. After all, a woman that lives in the forest probably should expect to get bit by some kind of bug often. The Blue Fairy rushed over to the hospital, and Tinkerbell came along, hoping there was something she could do to help. Ever since coming to Storybrooke, Tink took on a lot of responsibility to make amends for stealing the fairy dust to help Regina all those years ago. No matter what though, she was not going to dress up in that black and white garb the others were all wearing.

Blue and Tink get all the information from Dr Whale, and with a mere glance at each other, they are both very certain of what is going on. Neither of them wants to get into the story of what happened, mostly because it’s Regina’s story to tell. So the short version comes from Tink.

“Basically, the fairy dust is out of balance with Marian coming from the past. Her life is out of sync, it’s true, but that would work itself out shortly after arriving from another time. Something else is going on here. Many years ago, Fairy Dust showed Robin to be destined for someone other than Marian, but that person ran away and Robin carried on his life different from destiny’s design. He married Marian, and they were happy for a time. But that destiny came back for him, and Marian is clinging to him not aware of his destiny or her own. Until Robin embraces his true destiny, things can’t get going on the right track. Marian is not really sick, she’s just in limbo.”

Dr Whale had no idea what they were talking about, but had to ask, “So is there anything Fairy Magic can do for Marian?”

“Actually, I think it’s worth a try," Blue said. “I brought a little, just in case.”

She took out a vial of fairy dust, and sprinkled a little over Marian’s body. She began to glow. As the light faded, her eyes fluttered open. “I need to see Robin," she said. “Please, where is my husband?”

A trail of dust appeared on the floor, and was leading out of the room where they were. Dr Whale helped Marian sit up, and Blue and Tink offered to help her follow it.

The trail ended at Regina’s place. When the three came up the walk, there was a couple people in the yard sitting on chairs, and several people sitting on the porch watching a large mirror. It struck them a very odd situation to have all these people hanging out at the Mayor’s Mansion.

Marian was very afraid when the fairies told her where they were. Everyone says Regina is different, but she just couldn’t reconcile the Evil Queen with the Regina in this place. As long as she was with the fairies, she trusted them not to let harm come to her.

They came up to the porch, where Captain Hook, Emma, and Prince Charming all sat dozing. Marian realized there was a small child, her child, there as well, sleeping on the lady that saved her.

“Roland," she whispered.

Roland sat up and looked at her, blinking, then rubbed his eyes. “Mama, I saw Papa on the glass.” At the sound of his voice, the others started to rouse.

Marian was perplexed by what he said, but figured he must have been dreaming about his father so didn’t push the issue.

Tink couldn’t resist the blatant but obvious question, “What is everyone doing here?”

Emma, Charming, Henry, and Killian all groaned, and stood up to relieve their sore bottoms. Again, Roland said, “We were watching Papa on the glass.” Then he added, “Ms Gina went to get him.”

Marian started to get upset, but right at that moment there was a massive flash of red on the mirror, catching the attention of everyone, and treating Marian to a brief glimpse of her husband with his arms wrapped around the Queen, and the Queen sleeping against his chest.

Another flash of red, which turned out to be fire, appeared showing the pair now running away. The sudden action had everyone jumping around and generally freaking out.

Everyone except Marian, that is. She felt like it would have been better to have died back in the Enchanted Forest, than to go through all of this. The tears flowed freely down her face, as she accepted that Robin was no longer hers. She had known it in her heart right after she had been reunited with him. He didn’t need her the way he needed the Queen. That must be what the Fairy Dust was telling her. She had to let him go, but it wasn’t going to be easy.

What Marian didn’t know, was the Fairy Dust wasn’t leading her there for that reason at all. If she had only turned around, she would have seen him. The one who felt a sudden shift in gravity when he saw her. The one whose world stopped turning around the sun, and started turning around her.

* * *

 

A roar, and a burst of red, hot flames had them awake and on their feet fleeing for their lives before they even knew something was happening. Coming to her senses after running for a few seconds, Regina spun around and threw magic back at the giant.

Her instinct had been to throw a fireball at him, but fire is in his core, being the son of Vulcan and all, so it didn’t hurt him. It did make him stop though, never having had fire thrown back at him before.

Dawn had not quite broken over the horizon, but the sky was beginning to lighten. Regina sent up a ball of white light partially to blind the giant, but also so she and Robin could see. The giant recovered quicker than she expected though, and kicked Regina hard in the middle. She had the wind knocked out of her, and was reeling. Just as Cacus was about to burn her, a sword was suddenly protruding from his abdomen. He just looked down at it, puzzled. Robin came from behind him and stuck a second sword into his eye before Cacus even knew what had happened.

The last sound he ever made sounded an awful lot like “Hercules”.

Robin helped Regina up, and back to the place where they were sleeping. Then he retrieved the swords from the body of Cacus. The Muses had scattered when Cacus appeared, but they had returned and Regina actually found their presence comforting.

“Clio, when can we try the portal? I really want to get home.” Regina was still a little breathless, but otherwise unharmed.

“Daybreak should be good enough. I don’t make any guarantee, though!”

Even though she knew the giant was dead, Regina couldn’t help but want to get as far away as fast as possible. So they grabbed what they brought, and walked over towards the portal to wait for the sun to fully crest the horizon.

Robin grabbed a large slab from a broken wall and had the ladies gather on it.

“Oh goodness,” Terpsichore said enthusiastically. “I am so excited! I can’t wait to see Thalia again, I miss her so much!” The others all agreed. Even Melpomene, who was usually the downer of the group.

Regina snorted, then covered it up like it was a cough. “Thalia was really upset to be without you four as well. She kept hollering at us to find her sisters.”

Robin wasn’t fooled. He just cocked an eyebrow at her, and then smiled. How he had missed her!

“I’m really not surprised," Melpomene said. “Thalia is such a crybaby.”

“Mel! Mind your manners," Calliope commanded.

“Sorry, Call, but you know it’s only the truth.”

“Whatever Mel," Clio spoke up. “You are always unkind to her.”

“Well she’s always making a mess of things!” Melpomene was starting to get defensive.

“Actually, I find a lot of what she does laughable. I mean, isn’t that her purpose," Clio said.

“You aren’t the one always having to stand next to her.”

Regina decided the Muses, including Thalia, were all fine, as long as they weren’t talking. And yet, she found it impossible to get annoyed in this instance, probably because she had Robin’s hand in hers and that just made everything so much better.

“Alright, girls, settle down now.” Surprisingly, they listened to Robin and stopped the light banter that was going on. Regina smirked at him.

“So, you have some amazing power right there that you never told me about, huh," Regina joked at Robin.

“Can’t help that all the ladies find me irresistible," he fired right back.

“Oh, really? So that’s how it is. I see now," she laughed.

“Here comes the sun. Shall we?”

“Ready here!” The Muses were so in sync it was unreal.

Robin extended his elbow out towards Regina, “Take me home, my love.” She took the proffered arm, and he grabbed the stone with the Muses. Together they stepped on the portal.

* * *

 

They materialized on the porch right where most of the gang was standing. A collective sigh of relief came from nearly every direction.

“Nice party in my yard, Ms Swan," Regina said.

“Think it’s bad now, you should have seen it shortly after you left. I think at least ¾ of the town showed up," Henry blurted out.

“PAPA!!” Roland ran straight for Robin, practically knocking him over as he latched onto his legs.

Robin pried the boy loose and scooped him into his arms, “Hey, Buddy! I’m so glad you are here! Where’s Mama?”

Roland pointed to where Marian was standing, with tear streaks still on her face. Robin walked toward her, with determination in his steps. She knew what he would say, and she was trying to accept it. She just wished it didn’t have to hurt so much.

“Hey Marian.”

“Robin, please don’t say it. I know already. I know you want her. I know you love her. I can’t handle you saying it to me right now.” She felt this crushing emptiness in the middle of her chest, but she also felt a little relief. Relief that he was alive, and whole, and that he could be happy in a way she never had been able to make him.

“Marian, I’m sorry. I will do everything I can to help you. I just can’t be your husband anymore.”

She sighed, “I know, Robin. I’ve known since I got to this place. I think it’s going to be alright, though. I will always love you, Robin, but I deserve someone who isn’t conflicted. Someone who loves only me. Plus, we have Roland to think about. It’s not fair to him. I see now that the Queen isn’t like she was. She has changed.”

“I do love you Marian, but you are right. You deserve more. We will find you a job in town.”

She threw her arms around him in a tight, goodbye hug. He hugged her back, and then turned back to the porch. She watched him walk away from her, back toward the Queen.

Marian turned, intent on retreating to her apartment, when she caught him staring at her. She smiled sadly, but just kept going on her way. The face was familiar, but just this moment, she couldn’t place him.

Blue called to her, as she was heading down the sidewalk. “Hey, mind if I walk with you?”

“Of course not.” Then after a pause, Marian asked, “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Does Fairy Dust make a habit of breaking hearts like this, or am I a special case?”

“Whatever do you mean, Marian? Fairy Dust doesn’t break hearts, it does what a Fairy asks of it.”

“We followed the trail, and all I found at the end was my husband is in love with another woman, and would rather stay with her than with me.”

“Marian, that wasn’t why it took you to Regina’s house! Didn’t you see where it ended?”

“I didn’t. All I know is we entered the yard and I saw Roland, and then everything happened in the looking glass.”

“There was a man there, Marian. A man who is your destiny, the way Robin is Regina’s destiny. You will see. Someday, when the time is right, it will work out. Fairy Magic is never wrong.”

They eventually parted ways, each off to their own residence. Marian thinking about everything Blue said. Was there really someone here in this place that would want her now? Someone that would want only her? And love her the way Robin used to? It was hard to think of something like that. Right now wasn’t the time. She had too much to deal with. Maybe that’s why Blue had said “when the time is right.”

Maybe “someday” would come for Marian. Only time will tell.

* * *

**********************************************

The next morning, Regina thought up a plan to get the Muses off her property. She decided to call Swan to ask if the dwarves could carve some statues to relocate them. So she called the station, but got Charming in her stead. Clearly not her first choice, but she explained her plan to him regardless.

“Do you think you can handle it?”

Charming responded with a grunt and, “Of course I can handle it. Let you know what they say,” and he disconnected.

Regina pondered the irony of this whole situation. She created the original curse to bring everyone here to Storybrooke, and get rid of everyone’s happy ending. Instead, Swan made sure everyone got back their happy ending, and as it turns out, Regina herself even gets one.

**********************************************

Marian found a job, serving drinks at The Rabbit Hole. It wasn’t long after she started her first shift, before that man wandered in. He introduced himself as Keith, initially, but then she remembered who he really was. The Sheriff. The Sheriff of Nottingham. She cared for him once, before Robin convinced her the sheriff was a bad guy, and Robin himself was a better choice.

Marian smiled. Maybe she wasn’t ready to move on just yet, but knowing her destiny is standing in front of her gave her just enough life to keep going forward. Yes, “someday” will indeed come for her.


End file.
